Love in a nutshell
by LovedBNamed
Summary: Oneshot. Literati. Rory confronts Jess, and they get together.


"You're a jerk."

Jess rolled his eyes, turning to face her. "Aww, ouch. Careful, young children might be listening, and we wouldn't want Stars Hallow's Princess to corrupt them, would we."

"Yeah, because that's your job, right?" She huffed, tapping her foot..

"I'm so glad that we've defined our functions in life, but I've got places to go, and people to agitate." Yet he stood there, waiting for her next move.

Rory made a small scream at the back of her throat and stepped forward, making Jess raise an eyebrow at the little distance between them.

"Listen to me!" Rory cried, offended.

Both of Jess's eyebrows rose, and he leaned back against the tree. She had dragged him there, with him protesting lightly, but her blatantly not caring.

"You can't do that." She said hotly to him, waving her hands erratically in the general direction of Luke's diner.

"Do what?" Jess asked, hoping some type of entertainment would come from this.

"Be such an…an…ASS to Luke like that!" Rory burst out, causing a few ignorant passer byers to stop and give them shocked looks.

"Keep a move on!" She glared at them, irritated, causing Jess to chuckle.

"You're yelling at Stars Hallow townspeople? Wow, you must be all riled up." Jess commented, amused at the scowl in place of her normally amicable lips.

"Will you stop?" Rory growled, slapping a hand wildly against his chest. He started to chuckle, and she smacked his arm, finding it relaxing to hit him. The angry look in her eyes was surprisingly sexy, eyes turning to a color that looked purple, puffy mouth being tucked in, and tendrils of hair escaping her loose ponytail.

She looked wild, like a bird bursting out of a cage for quick taste of freedom.

He watched her with an entranced look, slowly capturing her wrists into his hands. She didn't fight him, only carefully waiting.

He pulled her to him, cautiously, giving her more than enough time to back away, looking her in the eyes as he drew her to him.

Rory's eyes flickered a shade darker, a color he had yet to see, and he didn't know what it meant, though he could guess. She let herself be led forward, until their bodies had an centimeter of space, but her eyes were too busy with his to notice.

Then, sliding a hand from her wrist to her back, he flattened his fingers, slightly pressing into the firm flesh of her lower back. She let her hand sweetly curl around his belt buckle, and slid her fingers until their hands were interlocked.

Jess let a small smile curve his lips before hesitantly touching his nose to hers, and making sure one last time, before pressing a soft kiss to her lips. She didn't move, and he kissed her again, wondering where her reaction was.

Before he realized, her arms were around his neck and she was full out eagerly pressing her lips against his, and Jess was surprised. _This_ is the virginal princess of Stars Hallow? She kissed like she had years and years of experience, and this was coming from him, a guy who had been with many many girls.

Jess grew more confident in the kiss, stepping it up a little, and touching her. Sliding a confident hand under the shirt, so his hand touched bare skin, he slowly changed the kiss so it was slow and kept a rhythm with his thumb making circles on her soft skin. Their lips slid over each other, testing gently, and flickering tongues teasing. Jess hadn't thought that she would be so imprudent, and primly press her lips against him once, before dashing away like a little rabbit. But here she was, unflinchingly pressing her tongue against his lips, and tracing his mouth, raking a small hand delicately through his crafted hair, and pressing against him like she was some sort of wanton goddess. It was exhilarating. He wanted to know how far she'd go, this little reckless Madonna.

Fastidiously, Jess propelled his hand up her back, following the length of her spine while lifting her shirt, until his daring fingers hit her bra strap. Her mouth froze on his, withdrawing quickly, eyes widening, and he realized that he had broken the spell she had been in and whatever had happened wouldn't happen again.

Jess broke apart from her, hastily throwing up his walls, so that he wouldn't be hurt by Rory.

"Why'd you kiss me?" She asked, once again the little bird caught inside a cage, safe and trapped. She was staid, but tears dangling at her eyelashes, hurt and confused.

His defense was up, leaving him to rile up his anger and lash out. "Why'd you kiss me back?"

"Jess! Jesus, just stop it! Stop…messing with me! I hate it! Don't go all hot and cold with me, I don't want it. If you're just planning on just toying with me, then go." Rory took a deep breath, and continued softly, looking weakly at the ground. "Leave me alone if you're going to cause me unnecessary headaches."

Jess took a step back, assessing the situation. He didn't want to hurt her. No, not her. But he didn't want to hurt himself as well, but all they seemed to do around each other is that.

However, he didn't want to stay away. She was so addicting, like heroin. He felt slightly dizzy and happy around her, and couldn't stop thinking about her when he wasn't. And watching her face laugh, smile, the deep concentration when she was reading, the saucy toss of her head when she'd say something clever, the shy blush, and the stern yet amused look she'd get after he did his pranks intoxicated him into wanting her. Wanting to make witty remarks, tease her, read to her and move closer-emotionally and physically. It was hard to stop. It was hard to not make things difficult, and even harder to not be near her.

"I don't want to hurt you." He said slowly, looking away, feeling embarrassed. "But I don't know what's going to happen. I want you, Rory."

She inhaled sharply, pupils dilating. Her hands began to shake.

"I want you," He repeated, looking Rory steadily in the eyes. "I do, but I'm not stable. I don't know where I'll be tomorrow, whether I'll be in Stars Hallow or in New York. I'm not good with phone calls, I don't plan things. I'm not a good boyfriend. I've done things that don't make me a good person, Ror, you don't need someone like me. It's not smart to want me back."

For a while, they just stood there, in silence, his words beating them like insuppressible drum. Jess mulled over her reaction, or what seemed to be a lack of one.

But, soon, the tears had fallen.

"Why do you always think you are a bad person, Jess?" Rory whispered, looking pleadingly at him. "I don't want stable, I've had it. I don't want perfection, or safety. I want…" She swallowed. "I want you. I want the surprise and the faults, I don't need what you think I do, I need someone who wants me because of who I am, and can be, not for what I was and dread to become. Don't push me away because you don't want to hurt me. Don't be a coward. I can handle it."

Jess paused, closing his eyes to imagine what he wanted. All he could really think of, that would make him feel happy, was sitting next to her, reading. And possibly kissing. Simple as that was, he didn't need much for him to feel like it was home.

"Okay." He sighed. "Okay, I won't."

Jess kept his eyes closed and soon felt something soft touch his face. He opened his eyes, smiling softly only to see a fat squirrel dangling its tail on his face. Its grotesque appearance had Jess's eyes widening dramatically, and mouth dropping in disgust and surprise.

"What the fuck?!?" He yelped, tripping backwards, and rapidly brushing germs off of his features.

The squirrel chattered rapidly, admonishing him, before scattering away up a tree from the branch it had been lingering on.

Jess looked down to see Rory on the ground, laughing her ass off.

"You…" Gasp. "should've seen…" Gasp. "Your expression!" She managed before letting out another peal of laughter. She rolled on the ground, and Jess hoped that she got gum on her uniform.

Jess looked around promptly, scanning the area for any onlookers. This could _not_ be let out to anyone else. Good. It was deserted.

Finally, after what seemed to be hours, Rory stopped laughing, and only let out chuckles once in awhile after looking at him.

"Oh, man. That was superb. I wish Luke and Mom had been here. I wish I had had a camera or something." She hiccuped, wiping a tear from mirth.

"I now have proof that God hates me. There is nothing to show me that he likes me. At all. I think I'm going to go throw myself off of the bridge now." Jess muttered, horrified.

"Aw, come on. If God really hated you, he would've given the squirrel rabies, and you'd be foaming at the mouth now." She said brightly, before bursting into giggles.

"I hate you." Jess growled, narrowing his eyes, thoroughly aghast. He began walking, heading towards the bridge.

"Careful, you're making the squirrel jealous with all the adoring looks you're giving me." Rory snickered. She followed, determined to milk this for all its worth.

"Don't you have to study or something?" Jess said, annoyed, walking faster.

"I'd rather watch you squirm." She grinned mischieviously, eyes bright with laughter.

They arrived at the Bridge, and sat, immediately taking out books to read. It was almost as if the confrontation hadn't happened, but the tension in the air was thick, and caused a rather awkward silence as they both pretended to read.

Rory looked up from the page she had been reading for the last fifteen minutes, to see Jess staring at her, with a soft gentle gleam in his hazel eyes.

They leaned towards each other, as if to kiss, but halted, gauging the other's reaction.

Slowly, Jess closed the space, his lips meeting hers, for a second, before pulling apart.

He stood up.

"I can't keep doing this." Jess said, apologetically.

"What? Doing what?" Rory demanded, rising to her feet.

"Making it feel like we're…" He trailed off, noticing a weird look on her face.

"Like we're what, Jess? Dating? Because, that's what I want to do. Date, go out, court, go steady, whatever. I want it. Okay? And I know you want it, so stop with the martyr act. I want you, you want me, let's go out, capisce?" Rory said, rapid fire, sounding in charge, and challenging.

Jess stared at her, until the weight of it made her uncomfortable.

"Well?" She said lightly, bravado wearing off.

"That was kinda…hot." Jess admitted, watching her face flush with enjoyment.

She shifted, a quick smile fleeting her face, before focusing. "Say it."

He raised his eyebrows. "Say what, exactly?"

"Say that you'll take me out tomorrow." She imposed, faltering ever so slightly, nervousness breaking through.

"No." Jess shook his head, observing her face falling.

"No?" She echoed, crushed.

"I want to take you out tonight." He corrected, watching with delight as her face lit up and she threw herself at him, tucking her face into his neck and smiling.

Jess and Rory sat down, going back to their books, except this time, their fingers were interlocked, and both had smiles on their faces.

Jess turned to Rory, and smirked. "How about some fried squirrel for dinner?"

"You're disgusting." Rory laughed, shaking her head. "Wouldn't it be fried squirrel and swan, though?"

"Luke is gonna pay for this." He mumbled under his breath.

"Oh!" Rory blinked, remembering. "I have to call mom and cancel movie night."

Jess winced. Oh, yeah. There was the mother who hated him involved.

Rory whipped out her cell phone and pressed a couple buttons and within seconds was in a conversation with her mom that only the Gilmore family could understand.

Soon, to his surprise, she handed the phone to him. "She wants to talk to you." Rory said, solemnly.

He took the phone warily, as if it were a bomb, and said hello.

"Break her heart and I break every bone in your insufferable body." Lorelei greeted him darkly with, and Jess flinched, the images of Lorelei inside a steamroller with him running away entering his mind.

"Alright." He agreed, feeling disturbed.

"Use protection." Lorelei said bluntly.

Jess choked on his spit, dropping the phone in shock. _What?!?_

Gathering his sanity, Jess composed himself, cleansing his mind.

Rory scooped it up, and they continued their Gilmore conversation, until she snapped the phone shut and smiled.

"Mom told me to tell you that huge wooden horses work the best. So I guess she was messing with you about sex." Rory said sheepishly.

"Your mom is insane." Jess told her, running a hand through his hair.

They gathered the books into Jess's pockets, and walked to Luke's, where they unconsciously moved together in a way that had other people assuming that they had dated for years.

Sometimes they fought, and it got so bad that they considered breaking up, and sometimes it got so good, that they felt like they were in a dream. All they knew, was that they never wanted to know what it was like to not be together. And they never did.

* * *

A/N- 

Disclaimer- I don't own anything but my mind and its ideas. The squirrel is mine though.

Okay, I know you guys are going "WTF", but I seriously have no idea where it came from. No lie. I was planning on making it just a short sweet story, but then I added the squirrel as a joke to freak my editor out, but then the story wrote itself after that. So thank you for reading, leave a review:)


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